The basics of baking

A new class through Marshall Summer Talents Academy has kids getting a hands-on education in the kitchen

June 13, 2013

MARSHALL - The Marshall Summer Talents Academy is now featuring its new class Pastry Chefs! with Manjit Harrison. The class started this past Monday, with the last class on Friday at the Marshall Middle School FACS room

Fifth- through eighth-graders were invited to be a part of the class, which teaches some of the fundamentals of baking.

"We have been doing the Talents Academy for three years now, but this is the first year for this class. I decided to start this because kids this age don't learn the basic skills of pastry making in school," Harrison said. "This is an experience that can broaden their baking skills."

Article Photos

Photo by Samantha DowningMerissa Traen, Sofie Bock, Erica Jones and Abbi Ruesch were busy kneading the dough for their pretzels on Wednesday at the Pastry Chefs class offered through the Marshall Summer Talents Academy.

All of the students were enthusiastic about the hands-on course.

"Today we are making pretzels. Yesterday we made cream puffs, and on Monday, we learned how to make apple pie pops," Aubrey Bjella said.

"I am teaching them different baking skills each day. The apple pie pops were a soft pastry. Cream puffs are a French pastry called choux, and the pretzels are a dough," Harrison said.

When asked what their favorite has been so far, both Alison Castor and Evan Estebo immediately replied, "cream puffs." Overall, that seemed to be the general consensus of the group so far.

Each day, the kids begin class with learning how to make the recipe, then they put their knowledge into practice and get to eat at the end of class.

"I've learned how to put in ingredients in the right order. It's really important," said Alex Castor.

Everything that is made in the class is completely from scratch. The skills the students are learning can easily be put into practice at home. The kids were excited about making things themselves, with only a little help from their instructor.

"All of the kids are very respectful and eager to learn," Harrison said. "I loved baking as a little girl and wanted to share that with these kids."

The Marshall Summer Talents Academy also offered Paper Sculpture, Embroidery Techniques, Art and Authors and Lego Engineering this week as part of its program.